Happy New Year

Welcome to the new year. It's so nice to see all your beautiful and somewhat bewildered faces when you discover this blog( for those that do not know that I manage three blogs)

I watched THROUGH THE FIRE last night, a film produced by Chuks Etolue of NigerAmerica Pictures. I was a bit skeptical to watch it because I had loaned it to friend and she had all but bashed the thing to the ground. Having seen the movie and knowing that she is from Barbados, I will say that I am sorry that she is upset because her country has no film industry of their own.



What grade will I give the film? Ans: B+. It was well written, well shot and most of the actors did well. The voice over of the narrator did not do it for me, the constant flash backs were kind of exhausting even if they were sharply done and some of the cast would have been better off with their natural accents.

Nonetheless, the Nigerian based cast headlined by Patience Ozonkwo were on point with Ozonkwo in her typical role of the mother-in-law from hell. The film also had an above average selection of US based actors, most of whom I am sure are friends and not actors but who did quite an impressive job of delivering on their roles.

The story was simple: a couple who have lost two kids at birth, transplant themselves under family opposition to their continued union to the United States with the hopes that access to better medical care will save the current pregnancy the wife is carrying. When they get there, things are not what they seem and the family has to make some tough decisions as they fight to keep their status, dignity and child. KPOM!!!
I understood the story, I commiserated with the characters and sat with the same amount of trepidation and hopelessness that they portrayed.

The soundtrack: Something I always focus on, was well put together and simple. There was no off key singer, with irritatingly descriptive lyrics sung in a wannabe-foreign, heavily Igbo accented voice. They got it right for suspense, tragedy and dramatic scenes. Was well done.

Wardrobe: Well put together. No one was not dressing in contradiction to their personality and body type. Although the black mesh shirt that the character Koffi wore in the final scenes is a no-no.

I would recommend that you go see it.

Also, I watched a couple of films by Oodua Afrik Films, a Yoruba film production company that is headlined by Ogogo. I am of the opinion that one day, I will hand a huge sum of money over and tell Taiwo Hassan (Ogogo) that he should just go ahead and make whatever he wants to make. I have been in his corner since Owo Blow and he has shown no indications that he wants me to leave so that is a producer that I will say, pay some attention to.

I like the simplicity of his stories. No one is sitting under some banana tree somewhere and fanning a shrine's fire to cause calamity. Most of his stories are about simple action and reaction. KPOM!!! Me, I likey very very much.

I saw Eni Akoko (First Person) and Ire Nwami Nitemi/ The Gold Digger ( I do not agree with the English title but hey, no be me get am for film). Two good films I tell you.


And I bought, started and finished Half Of a Yellow Sun. It was well written but I was not as spellbound as I had been with Purple Hibiscus. Something seemed forced about the story, in my opinion but it was still superbly written and worthy of all the accolades it had received. It was an OK read.

So, here is to a new year of bigger and better productions in TV, film and literature.